


Viva: Ascendency

by changdori (janie6789)



Series: Viva [3]
Category: DBSK | Tohoshinki | TVfXQ | TVXQ
Genre: M/M, Modern Royalty
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-08-23
Updated: 2020-03-06
Packaged: 2020-09-24 18:40:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 7,747
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20363218
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/janie6789/pseuds/changdori
Summary: Yunho has created a life for himself outside of the palace. Meanwhile, Changmin becomes King, and more freedom comes with the title. Unfortunately, he doesn't expect to encounter this much resistance.





	1. Chapter 1

Yunho is busy organizing his classroom before the kids show up after school.

The nonprofit is always only barely keeping its head above the water, but amazingly, it _is _always keeping its head above the water. Yunho has to do a lot, with minimal manpower. He works with troubled youth, to give them guidance and help them find opportunities to find out what they'd like for their future. It isn't always easy – in fact, it's almost always really hard – but he thinks he's helping. Over the past 5 years, he's sent several of his kids all the way to university, and most of them went away having jobs after high school. Not all of them do well, but he's proud to know that not one of them had ended up in prison – small victories, Yunho figures.

He doesn't make nearly as much as he did while he was working as an after-school tutor at an academy, and certainly not as much as when he was working at the Palace. But, arguably, this feels more rewarding, and although the work is much harder, Yunho can even convince himself that he's happier.

Yunho sits down at one of the desks to look at some of the paperwork, crunch the numbers – because he needs to make sure he stays within his budget this month. He'd been overspending for the kids for the past couple months, and his own paycheque had to take the hit; it is okay for now, but this is not sustainable at all – even with the on-the-side tutoring he does sometimes when he's running low.

As he's deep into his calculations, he hears the bell on the door tinker. Someone steps in. Yunho's still trying not to lose his train of thought.

Eventually, the visitor speaks.

"Mr. Jung?"

Yunho can't look up right away, but he does when he can.

He's a bit surprised. He can't recognize the face, but he does recognize the badge on the man's suit jacket.

Yunho stands.

"Would you be Mr. Jung Yunho?"

"Yes, sir."

The man bows.

"I have something for you. From the Crown Prince."

Yunho's heart skips a beat. "P-Prince Changmin?"

"Yes," he says gently. He holds out a card, politely, both hands, so proper it's almost military-like.

Yunho takes it, noticing that his hand is shaking as he takes it. He opens the envelope (it looks so expensive and Yunho, for a second, wonders how much this cost; perhaps it could have added to his charity instead) and pulls out the card.

It's a cordial invitation to the coronation.

Yunho doesn't spend too much time looking up news anymore, but as far as he lives in the country, there was no way that he wouldn't have known that the King had stepped down from the throne two weeks ago, so that he can spend the remainder of his life peacefully in the countryside with the Queen, leaving Changmin to the throne. The coronation is scheduled for another two weeks from now.

Yunho hadn't even planned on watching it on TV, never mind attend the actual ceremony.

It's a standard, printed card except for one line that Yunho knows right away that it is written in the Prince's own handwriting.

_Please come._

"Thank you," says Yunho, mouth drying immediately.

"Please let us know if you'll be attending. You can phone, or send your response by mail."

"Yes, sir," manages Yunho.

The man gives him a crisp bow, turns and leaves, and Yunho is left standing there, rooted to the spot.

He looks at the card again, and the two words written in the Prince's own hand.

The bell tinkers again, and one of the kids comes in, waving his hand and smiling wide, with a box of cookies that he's baked himself – and the warmth reminds him – his life at the palace is over.

Yunho's life is about himself now, and about his kids.

Yes, Yunho knows that Changmin had been his student too, and he cherishes that very important chapter of his life – but Changmin has moved on, with his own family now, and going to become King in the next couple weeks. And they haven't spoken for _years_.

Yunho greets the kid with a smile, and goes to the door to help him with his load – and on his way there, he throws the invitation into the trash can.

Yunho watches the coronation at home on TV after work.

Yunho has had to move out of that downtown suite that the palace had provided for him after a while – he couldn't afford it anymore, not after he put everything he had into his charity – but Changmin has become older and even more handsome. He looks so very regal now, in his robes. Victoria stands next to him, who's also very graceful – really, a perfect royal couple. Their son, Prince Chanhyung is there too, who's 6 years old now.

He looks just like Changmin.

Yunho turns off the TV and heads to bed.

To ignore the thoughts he has about Changmin isn't as easy as he expects though. He didn't expect to be affected this way, but he finds that Changmin is on his mind much more often.

Although Changmin was depressed for most of the time that Yunho was with him, the strongest memories that Yunho has of him are of him smiling.

Yunho doesn't think he'll ever forget how beautiful Changmin's smile is.

When Yunho thinks about Changmin, or when he dreams about Changmin, Changmin is always smiling and happy. Sometimes smiling and happy in Yunho's arms, and sometimes smiling and happy in Victoria's.

So when he answers the knock on his door only about a week or two later and sees Changmin there, he freezes.

He freezes, because this has to be a dream, because Changmin is here, but he isn't smiling. Even in his dream, Yunho thinks he doesn't like to see Changmin looking sad.

Yunho's first thought is to give this dream-Changmin a hug, because _why are you sad, you should always be happy_, but he's second guessing himself, because why does this dream-Changmin look so real, and so sad?

Yunho reaches up and touches dream-Changmin's cheek lightly with the tips of his fingers – and the feeling there is so real that it has to be real. _He _has to be real.

Yunho draws his hand back and inhales sharply at the surprise.

The King is standing there at his doorstep.

And it's not a dream.

Yunho should know all of the royal procedures, what he should be doing in this situation, how he should behave – but it's like all of that has fizzled into thin air, and he doesn't even remember how to talk.

"It's been very long, Mr. Jung," says Changmin finally.

Yunho doesn't have words to say.

"I looked for you at the coronation," says Changmin quietly. "You didn't come."

Yunho stands blankly for a few moments, then he finds himself blurting out, "…Where are your guards?"

Changmin looks a bit disappointed that that's the first thing that comes out of Yunho's mouth, but he still answers diligently.

"I'm here by myself."

Yunho's movement stutters in shock, and he moves quickly as soon as he finds his wits. "Come in."

Changmin is no longer a child, but an adult. He has grown up – grown up to be the King, no less.

He carries himself like the royalty he is now, not like the college student who was sitting on the floor, partying with a bunch of guys. He's standing up straight, and he looks around now, at Yunho's little flat, with the peeling wallpaper and creaking floors.

"Sorry it's a bit messy. I really wasn't expecting… "

Changmin doesn't respond, doesn't even look at Yunho.

"Um…" Yunho is flustered, and he pulls out a chair at the dining table for him. "Please have a seat." Changmin sits, and Yunho picks up the mass of papers from the table to clear it off, and with everything in his arms, he realizes that he doesn't have anywhere to put it all.

He decides to drop everything on the couch.

When he approaches the table again, Yunho realizes that he forgot to take Changmin's coat. "Oh, right, I can take your coat –"

"It's fine," says Changmin, quietly but with so much weight that Yunho stops. "Please sit, Mr. Jung," says Changmin, indicating the seat across from him.

Yunho starts moving towards the seat, and then it finally strikes him who's sitting there at his kitchen table. The King, oh my God, and finally, he remembers what he's supposed to do.

He backs up a bit to make sure he has space, and then faces Changmin to go through with the bows. He kneels, touches his forehead to the floor and gets back up to his feet, and then repeats this five times. He is hyper-aware of the fact that Changmin is watching the entire thing quietly. If this had been back in the day, Changmin probably would have stopped him.

But it feels all different now.

When Yunho finishes, Changmin indicates again to the other seat at the table. "Sit."

Yunho does, and has to move few articles of clothing from the chair, since he doesn't use that one much anymore. Changmin watches, then he speaks.

"I really thought that your place would be pristine, like it was back at the palace."

Yunho makes a noise to protest, but then he stops when Changmin smiles ruefully.

"Maybe I don't know you so well anymore," he says.

In a way, he feels the same about Changmin. It looks like Changmin has changed so much – the way he talks, the way he sits, the way he is _looking _at Yunho –

For some reason, Yunho's chest is tight, and his eyes are threatening to water. He doesn't understand it.

"…Kyuhyun came to the coronation," says Changmin after a long pause. Yunho looks up. "I had a chance to speak to him at the reception. He said you still talk to him sometimes."

"I mean…" begins Yunho, but he doesn't know how to continue. He and Kyuhyun had kept in touch, and he even attended Kyuhyun's wedding last year, albeit only after Yunho got confirmation that Changmin wouldn't be there. "We kept in touch," concludes Yunho.

Which is an awful statement, because Changmin is sitting right there, and they haven't spoken in seven years.

"Why didn't you come to the coronation?" accuses Changmin, his voice cracking a bit.

Yunho looks away. "I'm sorry. I was busy."

"I wanted you to be there."

"…I know."

Yunho's starting to feel like he can't looks Changmin in the eye.

"Would you like some – tea, maybe? I have –"

"You never called."

Yunho freezes again.

"Neither did you," retorts Yunho, knowing exactly just how childish this is.

"I wasn't the one who promised to call."

Changmin is right. Yunho bites his lip. "…Sorry."

"Why didn't you call?"

Yunho doesn't even remember anymore. Why didn't he call? Maybe because he was too scared to hear Changmin's voice? And then afterwards, when he got news of Changmin's engagement with Victoria, because it would be too heartbreaking to see him.

"Were you too busy to call, too?"

All of the excuses never have the chance to leave his head.

"…No."

To Yunho's surprise, Changmin just nods silently. He doesn't respond to that, and looks at Yunho instead. When Yunho looks up, just to gauge the silence, and they meet eyes, Changmin speaks.

"…I'd like you to work at the palace again."

Yunho's mind goes blank.

"D-Doing what," he stutters.

"Tutoring my son."

Hearing the words sends another pang of hurt through Yunho's chest.

"I hope for you to start as soon as possible."

"I… thought you always said you wanted to send your own children to school," manages Yunho.

Changmin looks at Yunho expressionlessly. "I've changed my mind."

Yunho watches as Changmin gets up from the table and starts walking towards the door.

"See you soon, Mr. Jung."

Changmin leaves before Yunho has any chance at all to say anything.


	2. Chapter 2

Yunho wakes up the next morning exhausted, barely having been able to sleep after the unexpected visit. But he forces himself out of bed, and opens the curtains. It's a grey, gloomy day, and Yunho doesn't want to go to work. He thinks that with this kind of weather, not many of his kids will show up today, either.

Yunho's right, of course. An hour after his class is supposed to start, he's still got an empty classroom.

He is just sitting at a table by a window and drinking a cup of coffee, lost in his thoughts, when there's a knock at the classroom. His head snaps up, and he narrows his eyes – his kids don't usually knock. He gets up and goes to the door to open it – and when he does, he is so shocked to see the person standing there that he literally gasps.

"_Xiumin_?"

Xiumin smiles. "Long time no see, Mr. Jung," he says.

After the initial surprise, Yunho's head connects Xiumin to Changmin's visit the night before. "You _still _work at the palace…!"

"Yes, I do," he says. He looks around Yunho's little classroom, interested. "And I see that you've got quite the place here."

Yunho laughs and can't help but wrap his arms around Xiumin and squeeze him tight into a hug, and Xiumin does the same.

"Come in, sit down! Let me make you a cup of coffee, if you have time?"

"I think I should have time for a short chat," says Xiumin after a glance up at the clock. He smiles and sits down at the table where Yunho had been earlier, waits for Yunho to bring the mug of coffee. He thanks Yunho and takes a sip.

"I thought I might see you at the coronation, I was disappointed that you didn't make it," says Xiumin.

_Oh my god. __Maybe I should have just gone after all_. "Look, I really –"

"I didn't realize I'd get the chance to see you so soon after."

Yunho decides to drop the subject.

"How has it been at the palace?"

"Ah, you know, same old," says Xiumin with a wink. "You know, Prince Changmin – I mean, King Changmin – wow, I'm still trying to get used to that –he became much easier to serve after you left. As soon as you left, actually."

"Oh?" says Yunho, sipping his coffee.

"Yes. His relationship with his father improved, and he really became the perfect royal, basically overnight."

Yunho tilts his head. Perhaps he wasn't the best influence on Changmin then. Changmin's father was probably right to let him go when he did.

"Anyway, who ever would have known that Changmin would be abdicated to the throne so fast? But I think his father really had a lot of confidence in him, and it seems he was quite eager to retire after all," chuckles Xiumin.

Yunho chuckles and nods. "And who do you serve now? You used to serve the King directly."

"I still serve the King directly. King Changmin, now," he clarifies.

"And how is it?"

"You know," Xiumin says, leaning back on his chair, "I have to say, it's quite nice. He's very polite. Very patient. Very neat, very organized. You can predict his next move, in every way, because, like I said, he's the textbook royal. Doesn't ask for anything outside of my basic tasks, doesn't seem to ever mind even when things don't go exactly as he plans. A true gentleman, King Changmin. He's going to be a great King."

Yunho raises an eyebrow – honestly, this sounds so different from the Changmin he knows – or, used to know.

But in another way, he is a bit relieved to hear that; perhaps Changmin won't mind it when Yunho turns down the job offer.

"The only thing he's done that was a bit out of character recently was – well, he drove out somewhere last night by himself I think? That was a bit odd. I think security was a bit concerned, but he really wanted to drive alone. I had a few security guards follow him secretly. Apparently not much happened, so." Xiumin shrugs.

Yunho swallows and nods. "I – I see."

"And then today, he asked me to come here to offer you a job at the palace again."

Yunho just stares at Xiumin for a second – is he supposed to pretend that he didn't know about this?

"He wants you to tutor Prince Chanhyung."

Yunho nods, trying to keep his expression neutral, but he's sure that it's coming out as somewhere between confusion and the fake surprise he's trying to make. Apparently, Xiumin feels that the face wasn't completely inappropriate.

"We all know how highly he thought of you as his teacher. It seems he wants to pass on the same to his son now."

Xiumin is smiling wide, as if he's offering Yunho a winning lottery ticket, and as if Yunho should be jumping up and down or joy.

As if him taking the job won't rid him of everything he's worked for, wanted to achieve.

As if tutoring the son of Changmin with another woman every day wasn't going to feel like cruel torture.

Yunho clears his throat and puts down the coffee.

"I do appreciate that he kept me in mind as he searched for a tutor," says Yunho carefully. "But I am not in a position to accept the job anymore."

Xiumin raises his eyebrows and his head pops forward. "I beg your pardon?"

Yunho shakes his head. "Thank you for the offer. Thank His Majesty for the offer. But… I have work to do outside the palace now."

Xiumin clearly wasn't expecting that. "Are you… Are you declining the offer? Mr. Jung, the job –"

"I know the job, I know that it's going to pay well, I know all that," says Yunho, looking away. "But I have a life out here, you know?"

He's looking at Yunho now as if he's grown two heads. "I assure you, Mr. Jung, Prince Chanhyung is a very bright and pleasant young boy."

"I don't doubt that," says Yunho. This conversation isn't getting anywhere, and Yunho is getting somewhat frustrated. "I still won't do it, sir."

Yunho stands, and Xiumin stands too.

"Maybe you should take some time to think about it," says Xiumin, placing a hand on Yunho's shoulder. "It would be very nice to work with you again. Mr. Jung – it's an excellent job."

Yunho shakes his head. "Thank you. But I don't need to think about it. I'm not taking the job."

Xiumin continues to look supremely confused, but eventually, nods. "All right. I will relay this to the King."

Yunho nods too. "Thank you, Xiumin."

And Yunho watches as Xiumin leaves the classroom and gets into his car. He watches the car disappear through the pouring rain.

Was this a pang of regret? A tiny, tiny feeling of uncertainty hits Yunho for a short time, but he pushes it all aside and looks around his classroom. And he reminds himself over and over that his life at the palace is over.

Yunho really had thought that would be the end of it. So when he's met by the royal guards in their casual uniforms outside his apartment on his way home from work, and Xiumin is there again. He freezes, and panics. And his mind is screaming, _what now? What do you want from me?_

Yunho doesn't even try to go through with the royal procedures now – honestly, he's getting annoyed, and even angry. Xiumin and the guards bow, but Yunho pushes past them to his door.

"Mr. Jung –"

"I've already said no," says Yunho, yanking his door open and not even looking at them. He steps inside and tries to close the door, but Xiumin sticks his foot in the door.

_So rude_, thinks Yunho, and he's even feeling even more violated now. Why did the fact that he spent time at the palace mean that his privacy could be invaded like this, _why_?

"_Excuse me,_" says Yunho, glaring up at him. "I've already sent my answer. I can draft a written letter and send it to the palace if you wish. Now please –"

"Mr. Jung, please just give us a few minutes of your time," pleads Xiumin still with his foot in the door. "You see… we are also in… quite the bind. Please."

Yunho sighs. "You're wasting my time. I decline the offer."

"I get that," says Xiumin, chewing his lip. "But Mr. Jung – the king doesn't accept your declination of the offer."

Yunho raises his eyebrows. "Excuse me? There is no such thing. I have the freedom, like everyone else in this country, as protected by our constitution – to live and work wherever –"

"…You are right. But sir, he's told us to activate a Royal Order to bring you in as the tutor if you decline again today."

Yunho freezes.

"He… He what?"

"I'm… afraid it's just as you heard."

Yunho's mind is going at a hundred miles a minute. He looks up at Xiumin. "Sir – that's not what the Royal Order is for. It's for states of emergency, for when we're in – in _war_, or the country is experiencing critical political turmoil, he can't activate a Royal Order to hire a _tutor_!"

"I know that as well as you," says Xiumin, looking pained. "That's I we haven't activated it yet. And I'm hoping that I'll be able to convince you to just… come with us."

"_For what_?" explodes Yunho. "_I haven't done anything, why am I –_"

"Shh, Mr. Jung, please, your neighbours."

And Yunho remembers.

Oh my god, the neighbours.

The neighbours – okay, fine, the neighbours are one thing, but what about everyone else?

What if the media finds out about this, which they _will_, if that Royal Order was activated?

Yunho's head spins, and he holds his forehead with his hand.

Changmin will literally go down in history as a tyrant, as a king who dared to abuse his power for personal gain. He will go down in history as the worst king in modern history –

Or worse, he will have to live the rest of his life knowing that the country thought of him as –

Yunho looks up, and he stumbles back a bit.

"He – he can't," he says, shaking his head.

"But he can," pleads Xiumin. "So please, Mr. Jung."

Yunho closes his eyes, and feels his breaths starting to suffocate him. It seems either way – Yunho is going to have to go to the palace, and he has no choice in the matter.

That dawns on him, and Yunho starts to feel tears gather in his eyes.

_What about his classroom, his kids? Why? How?_

"How do I tell my kids," asks Yunho hoarsely. "What's going to happen to my classroom?"

"We'll take care of it all," whispers Xiumin, placing a hand on Yunho's shoulder. "Please start packing your things."

Yunho closes his eyes in resignation.

The whole move is unceremonious, to say the least; he ungraciously waddles in his jeans to his new (old) bedroom with his luggage case in one hand and carrying a few bags of his suits in another – only the bare essentials are here, with the palace staff promising him that the rest of his things will be moved in the next few days. Some of the new palace staff walking around are staring (at least, Yunho doesn't recognize them, so he will term them as new in his head).

It's the same room that he had so many years ago, down the hall from beside the Prince's bedroom.

He steps into the palace bedroom, and as soon as he does, he can't help the sigh from escaping his lungs.

The elaborately decorated furniture, even the expensive bed feels suffocating.

Yunho drops his things carelessly on the floor. He wants to just go to bed – or does he want to go _home_– yes, he wants to go home, because he doesn't even want to touch the bed that's there, even being so emotionally and physically drained.

Yunho doesn't even bother unpacking, and just pulls out the chair at the desk and sits down. He closes his eyes and tilts his head back.

_I want to go home. I want to go back to work with my kids._

Yunho stays like that for a long time, just trying to deal with the uncomfortable emotion. A long while later, there is a timid knock at the door.

Yunho answers it and is half expecting Changmin there, but it's Xiumin.

Yunho feels annoyance come up although he knows that Xiumin's just the messenger, but does his best to force it back down.

"Yes," he says tiredly.

Xiumin looks at him for a moment with some amount of concern, but then he decides to ignore all of that and holds out a folder.

"From the King's office. He would like you to start tomorrow."

Yunho takes the thing – he guesses it's supposed to be the learning objectives –and he looks at Xiumin. And maybe for the first time in his life, he says sarcastically, "Anything else I can do for you?"

Xiumin shakes his head – almost apologetically, and without saying goodbye, Yunho closes the door in Xiumin's face.

Yunho awakens early the next morning, as he did when he used to tutor Changmin.

Of course, Prince Chanhyung is much younger, but Yunho finds himself sitting at his hold desk, and reading the three newspapers on his desk from cover to cover.

It's harder than he remembers.

Yunho decides not to go for breakfast – it's too early, and he doesn't want to meet all the palace staff in this state.

He dresses in his suit – so pretentious, Yunho can't help but think – and when he looks in the mirror, Yunho thinks that he's never hated his reflection so much in his life before.

He grabs his things and walks to the classroom – the same one he used to teach Changmin in. Of course, when he opens the door, a smaller figure than Yunho is used to is sitting in the chair that Changmin used to occupy all those years.

But, Yunho thinks again, he does look exactly like Changmin.

Yunho walks closer to the table and realizes that tears are streaming down the young prince's eyes, he has his mouth shut to try not to make a sound, and his chin is shaking. When sees that, Yunho drops his things on the table and squats down next to the prince so that they are of level height.

"Oh, my dear prince," says Yunho, running his hand comfortingly on prince Chanhyung's back. "Your highness, what's wrong?"

The 6-year-old sniffles. "Are -Are you Jung Yunho?" asks the Prince, wiping his eyes.

"Yes," confirms Yunho.

"I- I-" hiccups prince Chanhyung, his large, watery eyes looking up at Yunho. "I-I told d-daddy I wanted to g-go to school, b-but he said I had t-to stay and study with y-you."

Yunho sighs apologetically.

"Oh – Oh, I'm sorry," says Yunho. "Come here." He opens his arms to the young prince, and Chanhyung falls into Yunho's hug, and into Yunho's arms. Despite the little prince obviously not wanting to study with Yunho, he's nevertheless clinging to him, and starts crying aloud into his shoulder.

"I-I want to g-go to school, like all the other k-kids," sobs Chanhyung. Yunho finds himself letting out a sigh without meaning to.

"I bet," empathizes Yunho. He gets up with prince Chanhyung in his arms and bounces him up and down a couple of times. "Should we go for a walk in the gardens instead, your highness?"

He feels the prince nodding, with his little arms hugging Yunho's neck, and he smiles. "All right. Let's go, my Prince."

Yunho is walking through the halls with Chanhyung in his arms when they run into Changmin walking in the opposite direction. Changmin frowns, and looks at Yunho for a split second. Yunho bows with a small drop of his head. When he looks up again, Changmin is still looking at Yunho without moving.

Yunho makes to move on, but Changmin stops him.

"I'd like to see you after the lesson is over, Mr. Jung."

Yunho feels his lips pursing and his eyebrows furrowing a bit. He feels frustration welling up in his chest, but he remembers that his duty is to the little prince now – he just nods, not wanting to make any issue out of this right now.

He walks past Changmin; he knows it's against the palace rules and all, and part of him thinks that Changmin will call him back to remind him that he's just broken at least three rules. But Changmin doesn't, and just lets Yunho walk on. After he's turned a corner, Yunho hoists the prince up a bit higher, so that they're both a bit more comfortable.

At least the prince has stopped crying now, though he's still holding onto Yunho's neck. Once they step out into the gardens, Chanhyung asks to be let down, so that he can walk through the gardens on his own. Yunho does.

They walk through the gardens together, and Yunho spends some time pointing out the different flowers and teaching them to Chanhyung.

"Yunho?" asks prince Chanhyung meekly, and Yunho feels his breath hitch.

The last thing he wants to do is get _another _royal get too attached to him – especially Changmin's son.

"You must call me Mr. Jung," reminds Yunho gently. Chanhyung just nods.

"Mr. Jung, why won't daddy let me go to school?" asks Chanhyung, pushing his cheek into Yunho's.

Honestly, Yunho can't think of a good answer to that question.

"I'm not sure, your highness. But maybe he'll let you go to school in the future."

"Really?" asks Chanhyung, resting his chin on Yunho's shoulder.

"Maybe," says Yunho. He hesitates. "I don't know your father very well though, so I can't say for sure."

Chanhyung pouts, and Yunho smiles.

"But I hope that he'll let you go to school."

"Me too," sighs the little prince. Yunho chuckles.

Maybe this was a good enough first day for them both.

The tension in the tearoom is palpable.

Yunho pours the tea into Changmin's cup first, then his own.

Yunho reaches for the sugar cubes next and goes to put one into Changmin's cup – it's second nature, even after so many years – but Changmin raises his hand, palm out towards Yunho, ever so politely. Yunho looks up into Changmin's eyes.

"I take my tea black now," says Changmin.

Yunho stops midair for a short moment, taking that in, and looks down at his own cup. "Oh."

He drops the sugar cube into his own teacup instead.

Yunho adds the milk to his tea too, watching the milky cloud come up and colour his tea lighter, then he stirs slowly.

"Welcome back."

Yunho doesn't look Changmin in the eye. He doesn't answer – he just nods.

Changmin regards Yunho for a moment, then takes a sip of his tea.

Yunho drinks his tea silently. He can barely even tell what it tastes like.

The silence continues until Yunho finishes his tea. Now Yunho's really just sitting there while Changmin just watches him. It's uncomfortable.

"What did you want to talk about," says Yunho finally.

Changmin seems like he's a bit surprised to see Yunho being the one to break the silence, but a moment or two later, he answers.

"I want you to stop doing that."

"Doing what."

"Picking up and carrying the prince as if he's a child."

Yunho looks up at Changmin. "He _is _a child. He is a 6-year-old child who wants to go to school."

"No, he is the prince."

A surge of anger rushes through Yunho, and he's pretty sure that his face is flushing.

How could Changmin say that? Changmin – _Changmin_, of all people, how could _he _say that?

"You forced me to come here against my will to take care of your son," says Yunho, trying to keep his voice steady. "I'm just doing what I've been hired to do."

"I didn't hire you to take care of my son. I hired you to teach him the right way to behave in a palace, and the school material he needs to know to take the throne when he grows up."

Yunho grits his teeth.

"You know how I work, and what I value. If treating your son like a robot is what you wanted from me, why did you hire me? To punish me for not calling you when I left? For not coming to your coronation?"

Changmin's eyes narrow slightly. "Mr. Jung –"

" – Or are you jealous of your own son?" blurts out Yunho even before he processes what he's saying.

Yunho shocks himself into silence too – he didn't mean to say that, and if he hadn't been so angry, he wouldn't have. But he finds that he's not sorry.

He sees Changmin's hands curl into fists on top of the table.

"_Don't you dare speak to me like that_," whispers Changmin dangerously.

Yunho lets out a short, empty laugh.

"Or what," whispers Yunho, looking right into Changmin's eyes.

He lifts his chin higher so that he is looking slightly down at the King.

"Or what. You're going to fire me?"

"_Jung Yunho_."

Yunho doesn't give Changmin the time to say anything.

"I left my entire life behind to come here for you. I left _everything _I've worked for," grinds out Yunho, glaring, and his voice shaking with anger. "_Now let me do my job the way I think it should be done_."

Yunho gets up from the table and walks out of the tearoom.


	3. Chapter 3

Yunho can barely breathe out of how frustrated and _angry_ he is over the entire interaction with Changmin as he walks away from the tea room.

He somehow manages to make his way to his own room, and all but slams the door closed behind him. He yanks his tie off and throws it down onto the bed. He only has the strength to undo the top few buttons of his shirt that are choking him before he slumps over into the chair.

He’s not sure how long he’s stayed like that, but eventually, there’s a knock on the door.

Yunho doesn’t even fix his attire before answering the door. As he perhaps expected, it’s Xiumin. He looks a bit surprised, but he doesn’t comment.

“Have you eaten supper already, Mr. Jung?”

Yunho shakes his head while attempting to comb through his hair with his fingers tiredly. “I’m not hungry tonight.”

Xiumin hesitates. “I… have been asked by the King to bring you into the Royal Hall for dinner tonight."

Yunho rolls his lips between his teeth.

He doesn’t think he’d like that, to be honest — it’s awkward to even think about. Plus, it feels… _wrong_.

“...What about the Queen?” Yunho finally asks.

“She never eats with the King, unless there is something specific that they need to discuss with each other over supper,” says Xiumin.

Yunho frowns. He thinks that's a bit odd. “How long has that been?”

“That has always been the case.”

Yunho narrows his eyes, but Xiumin smiles. “It is normal for them, Mr. Jung. You wouldn’t be intruding, if that’s what you’re afraid of. That I can promise you.”

Yunho sighs. “And the Prince? Who does he eat with?”

“Depends. Usually the King, or the Queen. When they’re not available, sometimes Princess Sooyeon or Princess Jiyeon will eat with him. Sometimes he has to eat alone. Tonight, he’ll likely eat with the Queen.”

Yunho sighs. It doesn’t seem like there’s going to be much excuse to refuse this. He tries one last time. "...Is this an order or an offer?"

Xiumin smiles faintly. "It was by no means an order. But he did have the kitchens work on this meal for several days. I do think he would appreciate having you go, if only not to humiliate him in front of his kitchen staff."

Again, Yunho doesn’t think he has much choice.

Changmin is already waiting for Yunho by the time he makes himself presentable again and arrives at the dining hall. Changmin gives a soft smile from his seat that contrasts starkly with their earlier interaction in the tea room.

Yunho stops at the doorway and bows. He doesn’t look into Changmin’s eyes and keeps his eyes trained to the floor, but out of the corner of his vision, he can see Changmin watching him for a little while before indicating the seat in front of him.

“Please. Have a seat, Mr. Jung.”

Yunho sits, somewhat awkwardly. He remembers when, for Changmin’s sake, he’d integrated himself so fully into Royalty and their procedures that he was even more comfortable there than Changmin had been.

It’s strange to have the roles reversed.

The servants lay out a full table of dozens of traditional dishes between Yunho and Changmin.

Yunho’s a bit mortified that they haven’t prepared Yunho’s own small table, and that he’ll be sharing the food with the King. They finally get served their own bowls of rice (elegantly wrapped with lotus leaf and garnished with dates and chestnuts), and Yunho thinks that this meal probably cost more that what Yunho would have spent on groceries in a whole month.

A servant approaches Changmin’s side and after a bow, starts serving Changmin by starting to unwrap Changmin’s lotus leaf (obviously, Yunho’s expected to unwrap his own), but Changmin raises a hand softly. “I will do it on my own. Thank you.” The servant bows and steps back, and Changmin eyes Yunho for a second before dismissing the servant with, “Now if you’d give me and Mr. Jung some time alone.”

Yunho thinks the gesture is probably the first glimpse of the old Changmin that Yunho saw since coming back here.

The door closes behind the servant and the two of them are now alone with the spread of food between them. With the servant gone, Yunho takes it upon him to do some of the necessary serving at the table. He ladles some of the beef bone soup into Changmin’s bowl and places it delicately in front of him before filling his own bowl.

The meal begins, and Yunho delays his first bite until Changmin takes one.

Minutes pass, and Changmin doesn’t say a word. It’s turning out to be very similar to the tea earlier.

And again, it’s Yunho who breaks the very uncomfortable silence. He probably isn’t allowed to, but who cares, when he’d just walked out on the King earlier.

“What is the purpose of this meal together, Your Majesty?” he asks.

There is such a long silence that Yunho wonders if Changmin will even answer the question. He clenches a fist on his lap as Changmin looks up and wipes the corner of his mouth with the napkin. And to Yunho’s surprise, he smiles. “Just wanted to spend some time with you. And welcome you back to the palace.”

Yunho doesn’t answer, but Changmin doesn’t look uncomfortable.

"I had a lot of time to think all the while we were apart, Mr. Jung. And one of the things that I realized was that I never really got to know _you_. You knew everything about me, but I didn't get to learn about you… at all."

Yunho’s silent as the King goes on.

“That was my fault, of course. I was a selfish young thing when it came to you. I always only cared about myself and what you could do for me.”

_As if you’re not being selfish now,_ thinks Yunho, and as if Changmin read his mind, he continues with a faint smile, “I haven’t changed at all, as you can see.”

Yunho doesn’t agree or disagree.

“I want to get to know you, Mr. Jung,” says Changmin, intense eyes boring into Yunho’s. “Why don’t you tell me a bit about yourself.”

Yunho doesn’t really know how to reply, but Changmin’s still looking at him expectantly.

He thinks this is going to be a very long dinner.

When Yunho returns to his room after the long hour of dinner and the even longer half-hour of dessert, he’s more _angry_ than anything — why does he have to be uncomfortable like this when none of this is his fault? He’d served the Royal family for as long as they needed him, and it was Changmin who went and got married and had a child — but why is it Yunho who has to suffer?

He just wants to go to bed, to be honest, but he sits at his desk and takes a few deep breaths. And then he finds himself wondering how his kids are doing. He’s supposed to be providing the structure and the one constant in their lives that they can always count on — he hopes that they don’t think he’s abandoned them. He’ll have to ask Xiumin to at least leave the classroom door unlocked for them for tomorrow.

And then, nearer to bedtime, he thinks about the little Prince. It feels strange not to tuck him into bed, to be honest, while he’s here. So he gets up from the chair and makes his way towards the Prince’s bedroom.

Yunho bows to the security guard standing at the bedroom door (this became a thing since Changmin tried his little runaway stunt years ago), and the security guard quickly pats him down before allowing him to enter the Prince’s bedroom. Yunho figures that’s going to be how things are going to be until all of the new staff start trusting him.

When he steps inside, he sees Chanhyung at his desk, colouring. He’s already in his nightgown. He looks up when the door opens, and Chanhyung smiles brightly with his arms out towards him. “Yunho!”

“Mr. Jung,” corrects Yunho, but he still goes to the prince and takes him in his arms regardless. He stands with the young prince in his arms. “Isn’t it time for bed, Your Highness?”

“I’m not tired yet,” he replies, but he yawns in the same sentence.

Yunho laughs. “Have the maids helped you wash up already?”

“Yeah,” he says with a nod.

“Then it’s time for bed,” says Yunho. He carries the prince to his bed and sits him down on the bed. Chanhyung doesn’t argue; he just crawls under the covers on his own and sits before looking up into Yunho’s eyes.

"Daddy said I might be able to go to school soon," says Chanhyung, eyes twinkling.

“Oh?” says Yunho as he arranges the blankets over Chanhyung, raising his eyebrows. “Is that right?”

“Yeah. He said maybe in a few weeks,” says Chanhyung with a charming smile. “He said he doesn’t want me to be sad.”

Yunho wonders if that’s true — whether Changmin really meant that he's willing to send his son to school.

He wonders where he’s going to end up if Changmin follows through with that promise.

“Well, wouldn’t that be nice,” says Yunho finally.

"Yes, it would make me very happy,” says Chanhyung seriously. “But I want you to know that it's not because I don't like you. I just really want to go to school."

Yunho can't help but let out a genuine laugh. "Well, that does reassure me, my Prince. I will keep that in mind when I lose this job."

He runs a hand over the prince’s forehead.

“Do you need anything more tonight?” asks Yunho.

Chanhyung seems to think a bit, then he looks up at Yunho expectantly. “Can you read me a story book?”

Yunho’s a bit taken aback, to be honest — he’s never done anything like this. Changmin had been older when Yunho took over, and he’s obviously never tucked a child so young into bed.

But he tries to pretend he’s not flustered.

“Of course, Your Highness. Let’s see which storybooks you —”

Yunho’s words stop abruptly as he turns and sees that the door is open.

Changmin is standing at the doorway, watching them both with his arms crossed.

Little Chanhyung looks up, confused, when Yunho stops, and he spots his father as well.

"Daddy," says Chanhyung happily. Changmin uncrosses his arms and walks to him and ruffles his hair. Only then does he turn to Yunho.

“Hello again, Mr. Jung.”

Yunho manages to bow.

“A word, if you please. Outside.”

From the bed, little Chanhyung calls cheerfully, “Good night, Mr. Jung!" and Yunho bows to him in return before turning towards Changmin again, who’s already making his way out of the bedroom.

Yunho follows quietly, closing the door behind him. When Changmin is sure that the door is closed, he turns to Yunho, whose head is filled with nothing but _What now?_

"It's only been one day, and I'm starting to see things more clearly already," says Changmin with a small laugh. "You'll never stop making me learn, it seems."

Yunho swallows. His eyebrows furrow.

“I’m not sure that I understand.”

Changmin waves away the concern. “What I mean is that I usually tuck my own son into bed, Mr. Jung. No need for you to be involved.”

Suddenly, all the laughter is gone from Changmin’s face, and his expression is replaced by terse darkness.

“You’re his tutor, not his father.”

Yunho frowns. A part of him wants to argue, because he’s always tucked Changmin into bed back then, and why shouldn’t he do the same for Chanhyung — but then he realizes, the reason why he did so for Changmin was because his father had been absent. Perhaps it isn’t the same for Chanhyung after all.

So he nods his understanding and trains his eyes towards the floor. “Yes, Your Majesty. I beg your pardon. It wasn’t my place.”

“That’s right,” says Changmin quietly with a nod of his own. “It wasn’t.”

Yunho bites his lip as Changmin claps Yunho on the shoulder. “I’d never wish for my son to suffer the same fate that I did.”

The words are loaded, so much so that Yunho reels back. There's the obvious fact that he was often neglected by his father as a child, but perhaps also that he doesn't want his son to have to get attached to Yunho instead.

He’s not brave enough to ask Changmin for clarification.

“Good night, Mr. Jung,” says Changmin lightly with a small smile that doesn’t match his previous words.

Yunho bows in response.

Changmin turns back into his son's bedroom.


End file.
